How to Make a Football Corsage

Make the big game even more special with a football corsage. This easy project lets you show your team colors or lets a friend know she's as special as the occasion. Big chrysanthemums are the traditional flower stocked by florists for football corsages. They use these flowers because they are in abundance in the fall. Show your support for your favorite team by decorating the mum with ribbons in the colors of your team--if the colors are purple and gold, trim a yellow mum with purple ribbon (you can choose a white mum to trim with two colors of ribbon if your team wears black and green).

Things You'll Need

• l Large Florist's Chrysanthemum ("football" or "spider" mum in a team color or white)
• Florist Wire
• Wire Cutters
• Green Florist Tape
• 1/2 Yard Pieces of 1/2-1 Inch Ribbon in Team Colors
• Shiny Press-on Letters in a Team Color (or silver or gold)
• 1 Corsage Pin or Ball-Headed Sewing Pin

Instructions

1. Choose your flower the day before you make your corsage. Trim stems down to 4 inches, place in water and refrigerate.

2. Trim stem down to 2 inches and insert florist wire in the place where flower meets stem (the thickened top of the stem). Gently twist both ends of wire down the stem, twisting wire-ends together at bottom. Cut wire.

3. Wrap wired flower with florist tape. If you are using a cluster of small mums, wrap stems together in a single bundle. Tape is stretchy so you can tear off loose ends.

4. Gather ribbons in loops (an easy way to do this is to loop ribbons over your thumb and little finger, back and forth in a figure 8).Secure ribbons at center of loops with florist wire.

5. Attach ribbon loops to flower with florist wire. Cover wire with additional florist tape.

6. Add press-on letters to your finished ribbon bow. Make a slogan for your school or a simplistic cheer. You could even simply write your school's name. You're ready for the big game.

Tips & Warnings

• Giving your flowers a long drink and refrigerating overnight insure that your flowers will last as long as possible.

• Don't be afraid to go the extra mile. In a pinch, you can secure your corsage with an ordinary straight pin or two, but it's a lot harder (especially on your fingers) than using a longer pin.